Monday, August 7, 2006

I invoke Ancient Powers of The Star
The Powers of Five
The Spiral Powers
The Powers of Earth
I invoke the Ancient Powers of Life
Star in the Circle
In the Iron Circle
Quaint, ancient symbol
So ancient, primordial and timeless
Dark symbol of life
On planets bearing life
Deep in DNA
Deeply branded in the Heart of our Earth
Touchstone of Wisdom
Of Ancient Knowledge, NOW,
Living in the stars
I call out through the Circled Iron Star
For my Star Power
Out through the Galaxies
Claiming Dark Powers

Saturday, August 5, 2006

Book: The Phoenix And The Dragon Poems Of The Alchemical Transformation by Adam Byrn Tritt

The Phoenix and the Dragon: Poems of the Alchemical Transformation is the latest collection from award-winning poet, humorist, activist, and educator Adam Byrn Tritt, and it may be his most personal and compelling work yet. Tritt's previous books include Tellstones: Runic Divination in the Welsh Tradition, and the Gainesville Community Haggada. He also has several credits as a screenwriter and a playwright. While Tritt's poetry and essays have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, The Phoenix and the Dragon is his first collection with a cohesive theme: transformation. "Alchemy," says Tritt, "is the art of transformation. It's about taking something of little intrinsic worth and changing it into something of tremendous value--changing lead into gold, for example. When you write poetry, you take Experiences common to all people--small, everyday occurrances--and you distill them into their essence." Tritt, who won both the 2006 EPPIE Award for Poetry in an Anthology and the Book Club of South Florida Poetry Prize and is listed in Who's Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, and Poets, has also been a social worker and a middle school teacher. He is equally at home speaking in lecture halls, giving public readings in bookstores, and visiting elementary school classrooms, where he can be found surrounded by children begging him to read his story Bud the Spud just one more time. In 1995 he was an awarded an honorary doctorate for his work in Religious Tolerance and for the creation of TurningPoint, a program providing alternative healthcare for low-income individuals.

Adam's poems are wonderful, magical and mystical...signposts for everyone on the journey to full Consciousness. And that is all of us, for all who love connecting with spiritual truths which electrify one's being. It is such a joy to remember we can transform our base metal into the gold of full consciousness, full awareness, the joy of Being. And that is what Adam's poems do for us. If we are open and ready. Here is a chance to be part of the New Earth, the new consciousness of Being, of joyous living.

With the magic of transformation Adam lovingly guides us from Birth through Growth, Dissolution, Death and then Rebirth. Our lives make sense with these clear and honest poems, what a joy to be the light. From his early erector set that he needed to build angels through creating sacred places in his life with his children, he touches us deeply with these images. With his son Alek he shares henna tatoos of the Phoenix Alek wanted...and the Dragon Adam endured as the "cheap myth" he couldn't wait "to fade, to crawl off, leave," but which kept "murmuring, unremitting, the price of myths."

And then through loss and death of loved ones to Rebirth, with these alchemical transformations we find what is sought, the Spiritual journey we all travel. How can we not dance with joy reading these poems of Adam Byrn Tritt! How can we not give thanks for these gifts of life, of Being.